The Missing
by KillerBeanieBaby
Summary: Sasuke has returned to Konoha, only to find that everybody seems to have changed behind his back. Unwilling to let his questions go unanswered, he seeks person after person, only to fnd himself shunned. What went on in Konoha? And Where is Naruto?
1. Returning

**The Missing**

**By: KillerBeanieBaby**

**Rating: M**

**Chapter One - Returning**

_An echo fades into the night,  
an eerie mournful sound.  
A shooting star disappears from sight,  
and I crumble to the ground._

Five Years.

It had been five years since Uchiha Sasuke had become a missing Nin of the hidden leaf. He wasn't all too sorry for the crimes that he had committed in those five years, nor was he about to repent for them. He had become so much stronger in those twenty seasons; he had come so much closer to his goal in those 260 weeks.

And every single one of those 1,825 days he had missed Uzumaki Naruto more than anything he could have ever imagined.

But now, he was here to banish that pain. He stared down at Konoha forlornly, knowing he would never be as welcome as he had been inside those gates. But he knew he had to try, knew he had to makeup for what he had done. There would be no dawdling, and no procrastinating. Even the hot afternoon sun beating down on his back seemed to usher him towards the village.

Finally, after much more sulking, Sasuke stood up and sighed, taking in a deep breath of the air he had missed so much. It wasn't long before he had tree-hopped down the hill and landed at the entrance to Konoha. To say the least, the town looked dead.

Perhaps it was just the heat of the August afternoon? Perhaps it was the fact that it was Sunday? Sasuke shook his head firmly and passed under the arch into his home down, hands almost defiantly rooted in his pockets. A few people seemed to recognize him, staring at the Uchiha clan member as he sauntered passed them, but he paid no mind. No, he wasn't here to exchange pleasantries with villagers he didn't even know. Uchiha Sasuke was on a mission.

It was about fifteen minutes before he finally remembered where Naruto's house was, and managed to find it. This place seemed so different. Perhaps they had remodeled behind his back? Sasuke grunted as he brought his hand up to rap on the door.

"Sasuke!"

-x-x-x-

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Sakura had been at this for god knows how long, ramming her head against the metal banister that surrounded the Hokage building's porch of sorts. So, Sasuke-kun had returned to the village? Yes… It had only been a few minutes and already the rumors were flying. The legendry missing Genius Nin of the hidden leaf, one of the last remaining members of the tragic Uchiha clan was back, now they could all continue to bask in his undeniable radiance for the rest of their lives.

"As if we have nothing better to do…" Miss Haruna spoke her words with contempt, a furrow forming between her slender brows. "Uchiha Sasuke-_sama_ will just freak when he finds out…" The sarcasm in her voice was nothing short of cruel as she rose from her seat overlooking the village, a scornful look sent down towards it as she tore her gaze away. Slowly, the female ninja made her way down the stairs, raising a hand to brush the cold metal plate adorning her head, marking her as a Konoha ninja. Her hair had since grown, and now hung mid-way down her back. Though, as if enchanted, it never seemed to get in the way of her training.

The sight of the boy was almost an unwelcome sight, something entirely different from what it would have been five years ago. But Sakura had since realized whose hands had really taken a hold of her heart. And now… And Now Uchiha Sasuke was dead to her. Even Naruto, she recalled, had lost that once fiery drive, the never-ending adrenaline that fueled him, urged him from deep within his soul. _Just a little farther; look just a little harder. _Sakura knew that voice all too well, and somehow felt alien without it now that she was once more in the presence of what was once her heart's true desire.

"Sasuke!" Her voice was firm, almost unfriendly as she advanced on the boy, who had now begun to kick the door he was standing in front of. "I can assure you that the doors in this village are no as weak as you believe our Ninjas to be. No matter how man times you kick Naruto-kun's door it will not fall in." The girl snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the wall.

"Sakura…" Sasuke's voice was void of any emotion as those pools of midnight traced every curve of the girl that would have attacked him by now had this been any other time. The change that had taken her was just overwhelming, Sasuke stayed silent, jaw slightly agape as he struggled to grasp at the sheer ice of her tone.

"Look…" Sakura seemed to cool down as she pushed herself off of the wall, moving to gaze off at the horizon with her back to Sasuke. "I miss Naruto-kun just as much as the next person, but you don't see me taking it out on his door, do you? I'm not sure that Mister Uzumaki would take very kindly to coming back to a broken-in door, do you?" There was just a hint of teasing in her last sentence, though not enough that Sasuke could feel comfortable. There was just something about Sakura that creeped him out, as if she was a volcano ready to erupt. Not only that, but he could just _sense_ the exponential increase in her power. This wasn't the blubbering weakling he had once known. No, Haruna Sakura was now a capable female ninja.

There were a few minutes of silence after her statement, in which Sasuke finally figured out exactly what it was she had just said. "Y-You… You miss him?" The words were spoken with a hint of disbelief, one elegant brow arching delicately. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sakura just snorted and turned to leave. "It doesn't matter what I mean." She hissed, her hair dancing in the gentle breeze swirling around them. "The only thing that matters is that it's _your_ fault he's gone!" Before Sasuke could manage an answer, Sakura had run away, her sobs echoing down the street. Sasuke took one step in the direction she had run off in, reaching out a hand.

He wasn't aware of the Jounin standing behind him, regarding his turned back with one eye. And the sudden realization that his old sensei was right there started him when the man finally spoke. "You really don't know how much you hurt them." He murmured, his normally monotone voice surprisingly void of anything. Although Sasuke knew his words to be an accusation, there was no such suggestion in Kakashi's tone. "It was about three years after you left. Both Sakura and Naruto had finished their training under their respective Senseis. Tsunade-sama had dedicated as much time and Nin as she could to locating you before the three-year term was up, but you were nowhere to be found. I remember that day Naruto came back to Konoha, he treated it like it was any other day. He, Sakura, and a few other genins were summoned before Tsunade-sama, they were to go on one last mission to locate you. Naturally, Sakura jumped at the chance to finally save you…" Kakashi chuckled, as though recalling her over-exuberant reaction.

Sasuke, however, was not in the mood for Kakashi's little walk down memory lane, and stepped forward, a slight scowl taking a firm hold of his features. "And Naruto…?" It surprised the Uchiha that he even cared about the dobe's reaction. But here he was, caring.

Kakashi was silent for what seemed like it must have been several eternities. He narrowed his one exposed eye momentarily before answering Sasuke's question. "Naruto laughed and just left Tsunade-sama's office. The mission was never started."

No cold-hearted snort came from the boy, he seemed too shocked to manage any reaction other than staring at his Sensei, as though making failed attempt after failed attempt to grasp at the words. For some reason, each syllable reached him like a stab to the gut. He wanted Kakashi to be angry with him; he wanted that man to hurt him. The sheer disappointment under the monotone was literally heart breaking. "And… And then what?" A hollow breath escaped him, curling up from his chest and rattling by his dry lips.

Again, he was met with an almost thoughtful silence. Kakashi stared at the blue sky beyond them, his silence enhanced by the mask that covered the lower portion of his face. "You don't know just how much damage you've caused, do you?"

"I had to!" Sasuke countered, driving a fist into Naruto's door. "If I had stayed in this village then there's no way I'd be as powerful as I am now! It's the only way I can ever hope to avenge my clan!" He narrowed his eyes and backed away from Kakashi.

But, the man only shook his head and sighed. "So, in the end, power was more important to you than even your best friend?" Kakashi sighed heavily, leaves already swirling around him as he activated is teleportation jutsu.

And then, Sasuke was alone again, left to his own devices. For a while, he just stood there and stared at his shoes, the Sharingan unwittingly activated. After a time, though, he noticed a glint on the floor, and moved to pick up whatever it was that Kakashi had forgotten. Was it… Naruto's key? Sighing, and almost slightly relieved, Sasuke gripped the silver metal tightly and moved back to Naruto's door, fitting the key into the proper hole with bated breath. Hearing the click, he turned the doorknob and all but exploded into the house, garnet es darting from wall to wall.

"DOBE!" He screamed, opening the first door he came to. "NARUTO? DOBE! It's me! Uchiha Sasuke! NARUTO! Answer me!" The search was fruitless, he knew. Had Naruto been anywhere _near_ the village, he would have been the first to greet Sasuke. Though, the Uchiha highly doubted that Naruto's welcome would be anything even slightly comparable to anything even remotely friendly.

When Sasuke reached what he figured had to be Naruto's bedroom, he paused, one hand gripping the gelid doorknob. He had never felt this sort of desperation since his search all those years ago, when Itachi had returned to Konoha the first time, aiming to kidnap Naruto. It had never been revealed to him exactly why his older brother had been after the blonde, but he felt that it was somehow connected to the awing powers he had seen in the Valley of End.

"Dobe… Please. Please be here." The plea was out before Sasuke could stop it, and he bit down on his tongue to prevent anymore trivial statements from floating out. Slowly, he twisted the now-warm metal in his hand and pushed the door open so he could step into the room, his eyes widening at the sight. "NARUTO!" He screamed, running forwards and looking around, his breath coming in at uneven and shaky intervals. After a moment, he collapsed to his knees and almost whimpered, griping his head in his hands. It was like walking in on the corpses of his parents again; only this time he had built himself up a mountain of hope, just to have it crushed under fate's palm so suddenly.

Quickly, he got up and tore from the house, heading for the Hokage building. He recalled that Naruto had been… friendly with the woman. And if anybody knew anything about this whole mess, Sasuke felt it had to be her. And so, with renewed drive, he tore from the house and ran down the streets of Konoha, his mouth set in a thin line of determination.

_They wont tell me anything, Naruto. Where have you gone? When I said I didn't want to see another important person to die… I didn't mean I wanted them to die behind my back!_

After a time, Sasuke was mounting the stairs that ran up the side of the grand building, his chest protesting against all of the strain he was putting it under. Soon, he found himself pounding on the door to the Hogake's office, his desperation renewed. The emotionless Uchiha Sasuke was gone, replaced by this vulnerable and worried child. He cursed his own blatant display of weakness, but persisted nonetheless.

"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama! Please, open the do-"

His cries were met by the scowl of a rather perturbed looking female. It seemed she had been crying, but making an attempt at completing her tasks even so. For a moment, she just stood there and stared at Sasuke, before narrowing those emerald eyes slightly and addressing him. "What is it?" she questioned, not all too impressed.

Sasuke backed up slightly and ran a hand back through his hair, staring at the ground. "Sakura… I need to see the Hokage, as she might be able to-"

"This is she."


	2. Hokage

**The Missing**

**By: KillerBeanieBaby**

**Chapter Two – Hokage**

_And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
Cause sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight_

"Wh-What!" Sasuke's jaw dropped, unable to stay shut at the suddenness of the news he had just received. "Y-You're the Hokage! Since… Since when!" _He promised me power… And yet here Sakura is… HOKAGE! This is… This is bullshit. She's just a wannabe; Sakura would never be able to amount to Hokage. She's got even less of a chance than Naruto._

Sakura placed her hands on her hips, and just stared at her former comrade for a log time, as though she was angry with Sasuke for requesting her to recall such trifling details. "Since about a year ago." She murmured, in that same fed-up tone. "Tsunade was killed in battle, and she left the position for either of us to claim. Naruto-kun refused the position, so it fell upon me. Anyways… What do you want, Sasuke?"

For a moment, Sasuke was silent, bathing in the sheer... _Wow_ of it all. It seemed that everybody had gone and changed behind his back. Once again, Sasuke was faced with the question of just what the hell he'd been doing in the past few years. But he had been training furiously, far from the clutches of the humble little village he'd once called home. Sakura had been training in this peaceful cesspool. He could kick her ass any day. …Right? Sasuke shook his head, clearing it of the thoughts. "Where's Naruto?" He demanded, stepping forwards and clenching his fists. "Nobody seems to want to tell me what's going on! I went to his house and…" For a second, Sasuke choked on his words. "His bedroom is covered in blood. You also said it's my fault that he's gone."

For a heart-stopping second, midnight met emerald and the two ceased to breath.

"Sakura… What happened to Naruto?"

The girl sighed, backing up to let Sasuke into her office. Once they were both seated – Sasuke in a chair and Sakura at her desk in a very Tsunade-like fashion – the woman swallowed and started her story.

"Exactly one week ago today, Akatsuki attacked the village and kidnapped Naruto-kun." Her story was short and to the point, polite and clipped. "Naruto-kun is in their hands now, here's nothing you or any of us can do about it. That is all, you are dismissed." The conversation was over; Sasuke would have to find a new source.

Only slightly disgruntled, Sasuke rose from his seat and gave a short bow before exiting the office and descending the stairs into the streets below.

So, Sakura wasn't going to provide him with an answer, then? That was fine… He had other sources.

Didn't he?

-x-x-x-

The afternoon was sweltering, but the girl didn't seem to mind. She ran a hand back though her hair, staring up at the sky as her wandering fingers went back to playing with the hem of her jacket. She had taken it off under the wrath of the hot sun, wondering why the temperature had risen so suddenly. She could hear Kiba nearby, grumbling about the weather to Akamaru. A small smile forced it's way onto the girl's lips, and she giggled, ushering up a quick counter from Kiba.

Across from her, Neji and Lee sat conversing. Hinata furrowed her brow as she watched them. They were plotting Naruto's rescue, everybody was. Especially the original group of rookies that had taken the Chuunin exam years ago. They were all very close now, and that simple fact made the girl beam with happiness. She was so much more confident; she had so many more friends.

_Naruto-kun… You must return soon. We're all very worried about you. Especially Sakura-sama. I've also heard that Sasuke-san has returned to the village. You wanted to see him, didn't you? _

As if sensing her thoughts, Kiba stood up and plopped down beside the Hyuuga, placing a hopeful reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Hinata, we're going to get Naruto back if it's the last thing we do. Unlike that bastard Sasuke, he didn't abandon his village. We're going to get him back, you just wait…" He smiled, squeezing Hinata's shoulder lightly before releasing it.

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" The voice was suave, neutral. The occupants of the clearing turned to face Sasuke in all of his 'Glory.'

Raised brows and surprised grunts were had all around, though no one reaction deviated from the rest. It seemed that Sasuke was as unwelcome here as he had been in the rest of the village. Though it wasn't like he had expected a parade welcome, Sasuke had certainly thought that he'd be welcome with at least one crowd. Pushing it aside, he took a deep breath before daring to ask:

"Lee…? May I speak with you?"

The now-Jounin in question raise one trademarked brow and nodded, walking towards Sasuke. "Hai, Sasuke-kun."

For some reason, the sameness in Lee's answer seemed o soothe Sasuke a fraction. He nodded to his former acquaintances and began walking, waiting until he and Konoha's 'Sexy Green Beast' were out of earshot of the others before he spoke. "Lee… I was wondering if you could tell me about Naruto." He muttered, only slightly disgruntled about having to run all over the village just to get the answer to one simple question. "Sakura says Akatsuki has him, but… Is that the whole truth? And why is Sakura the Hokage?"

Lee sighed and ran a hand back through his black hair. "Well, technically yes. What Sakura-san has told you is what most of the village knows. However…" He crossed his arms over his chest. "There's more to the story. Now, I don't know all the details, but I do know the gist of it all."

Sasuke nodded, urging The Sexy Green Beast on.

"Well, after the failed attempt to bring you back, Naruto-kun and Sakura-san went on a few missions associated with your rescue. But after a while, they both cracked own on their training. Sakura-san trained under Tsunade-sama and became a medical Nin. But, because it was Tsunade-sama she trained under, Sakura-san is now a force to be reckoned with. Naruto-kun resumed his training under Jiraiya-sama, and became a very powerful Ninja. I remember that Tsunade-sama employed pretty much all of us… meaning everyone back in the clearing and Shikamaru-san. Anyways, it seemed that Jiraiya-sama nominated Naruto-kun to lead the mission. He had changed so much in those three years. Anyways, Naruto immediately began to laugh and flat-out refused the mission. He said that going after you was completely pointless." Lee paused, taking a deep breath. "But the weird thing was… Akatsuki made a failed attempt at capturing Naruto-kun just hours after he returned to Konoha… It was a shit job, too, Naruto managed to get away from them unaided. I could be grasping at a ghost, but…"

"You think that Akatsuki told him not to come after me?" Sasuke raised a brow.

Lee nodded and shrugged. "It could be a possibility. It's farfetched, but perhaps it's feasible. Your brother must have known that Orochimaru lured you into his clutches. He must have also known about your and Naruto-kun's bond. So, he might have told Naruto-kun not to go after you, for fear that Orochimaru would take him."

"There are two problems with that theory, though." Sasuke bit his lip. "One: Orochimaru has never had any interest in Naruto. And, Two: Naruto swore he'd bring me back to Konoha no matter what. He was always blabbing about how he never went back on his word… How would Akatsuki have convinced Naruto to stay put?"

"With all due respect to Naruto-kun, he was naïve. I don't believe that there was anybody who cared more passionately about your rescue. If there was anything he could do to hasten it… There was also the possibility that your life was jeopardized. In those days, when Sakura-san cared very much about you… It would have crushed her. Perhaps he was not only worried about you, but Sakura-san as well?"

"That sounds like Naruto." Sasuke snorted and stuck his hands back into his pockets, staring at the ground.

"But there is also something that continues to trouble us, a question that not even Shikamaru-san can answer." Lee's tone was grave.

"Oh…?" Sasuke raised a brow.

"Tsunade-sama was killed in battle last year when an army of Rock Ninjas invaded the village. It seemed that she left the position of Hokage to either Sakura-san or Naruto-kun. And… Naruto-kun refused the position."

-x-x-x-

Kabuto sighed, eyeing the tea he'd had made. His footsteps echoed in the half-light of the hallway, bouncing back and forth for what seemed like forever. Out of habit, the man pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, inhaling the sweet-scented steam rising from the drinks he had made. Sasuke's sudden departure troubled him, especially since Orochimaru hadn't thought to inform him about anything that was happening. The man had just said to let 'Little Sasuke-kun' go on his way undisturbed. What fantastic mission had the outlaw planned for his missing Nin? Surely, nothing that Kabuto could not manage?

These thought built up in the Song Ninja's head so much that he had to pause outside of Orochimaru's door to regain his composure before entering. This killed him, wondering what Sasuke was doing while he was stuck here, completing boring and menial tasks that never really served any great purpose anyways. Research here, a kill there… it was bullshit.

Finally, he felt that he was all right to advance into his master's chambers, and that he did, entering with a small bow. "Orochimaru-sama." He murmured, pushing his glasses up his nose again. "I've brought the tea you requested…"

"Kabuto…" Orochimaru cracked his pale lips into a smile and took the tea the other male offered, sipping it gingerly. "Arigato."

They sipped their tea in silence for a while. Orochimaru sitting on his lavished bed and Kabuto on a simple chair next to it. They both seemed to be trying to catch he other looking at them, though neither succeeded. Finally, Orochimaru broke the silence by clearing his throat. Respectfully, Kabuto set his tea in his lap and turned to face the man.

"As you know, Kabuto, I've sent Sasuke-kun off on a little mission to collect information from another hidden village. You must be jealous that I've sent him off, and yet kept you here and under my thumb." He smirked his little smirk, a glint in his unsettling eyes, dropping his voice to an eager whisper. "I've found something that might catch your interest as much as it has caught a hold of mine. You must wonder sometimes why I did not claim Sasuke-kun's body when I first had the chance three years ago. It is because I had begun hearing whispers of a very interesting person. Ever since then, I have been tirelessly investigating these whispers, and investing my own time rather than sending out one of my many loyal subordinates." He leaned forward, a childish grin spreading his mouth. It made Kabuto flinch slightly, that type of grin didn't suite Orochimaru in the slightest. "I've found another Uchiha. A powerful Uchiha, who also seeks power and vengeance. It is yet to be seen whether or not this Uchiha possess the Sharingan, but there is always Sasuke-kun if he does not." Orochimaru leaned back and giggled, sipping his tea.

"I see, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto smirked, his glasses flashing in the light provided by the candles. "Rather than claim Sasuke-kun right away, you thought you would wait until more could he revealed about this other Uchiha? Because if you should happen to… meet this man… then you would have two Uchihas at your disposal?" On a sudden thought, Kabuto frowned. "But you've sent Sasuke-kun on a mission that take him directly passed the Hidden Leaf. That part I don't understand."

The glint returned to Orochimaru's eyes. "It seems that Akatsuki has taken Naruto-kun captive. They wish to take the Kyuubi fro him and use it to their own gain. Would it not be beneficial to us if Sasuke-kun learned this information, and was filled anew with the desire for revenge? As long as the demons in Sasuke-kun's heart remain there, and are constantly fueled, then he will stay loyal to me and will not seek escape. He will continue to grow stronger as my student, my Sasuke-kun. He will always seek me in the end, the darkness in his soul cannot resist my attraction." Orochimaru giggled here, taking another sip of his tea. "Do not be troubled, Kabuto, I've thought this out from beginning to end. If Sasuke-kun weren't such an ignorant little brat, then perhaps I would have been a bit more cautious. But because Sasuke-kun is Sasuke-kun, then I've nothing to fear."

"Very well." Kabuto smiled and set his tea back on the tray, collecting Orochimaru's empty mug as he left the room, making sure to bow as he exited.

_Orochimaru-sama… You've thought this out carefully, and I am nobody to be questioning your decisions, but I can't help but wonder if your openly advertised faith in Sasuke-kun's ignorance is the foreshadowing to your defeat... _

**Reviewer Responses**

First off, I'd like to extend a huge ARIGATO to everybody who reviewed my story.

And If I missed you… GOMEN-NASAI TIMES A MILLION!

**Naruto Look Alike - **Yes, I DO like drama! n.n I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, I hope this one was as pleasing, if not more!

**Red Asatari** – Where is Naruto, you ask! Well, that remains to be seen n.n I'm just tickled pink that you liked my first chapter so much, Arigato times a million! n.n (P.S. I love your pen name!)

**Pencil** – No, I think it's good that you ask so many questions! How else are we to gain answers other than to seek them? Also, It's good to see that you wanted the Rookie Nine to appear… Because they did! I didn't want this story just to center on Team Seven, just because eI love the other rookie nine so much! n.n (Especially Lee-chan. -giggle-)

**Love Squared** – Yes! I didn't really realize it until I was editing chapter one, but I suppose he does! n.n Serves him right for Deserting Konoha, eh?

**XxDyingCryxX **– Hee hee. I loved the last line, as well. I wanted it to be short and sweet, but I still wanted it to get the point across. I guess I got the best of both worlds! -Grin-

**Lai** – I hope that chapter two clears things up for you, but I hate to say that I'm a lover of suspense! ;D So, you might be left in the dark some more if you keep reading. (Which I hope you do!)

Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! n.n –Hands out SasuNaru dolls-


	3. Capture

**The Missing**

**Rating: M**

**Chapter Three – Capture**

_All you people can't you see, can't you see  
How your love's affecting our reality  
Every time we're down  
You can make it right  
And that makes you larger than life_

Sasuke froze in his tracks, raising a brow. "You're lying." He said, tone flat. "Naruto would _never_ give up on his dream to be Hokage. Me? Maybe. Hokage? Never." The Uchiha shook his head, completely unbelieving. "I know that there's nothing that could have deterred Naruto from the position of Hokage if it was simply laid out on a platter for him like it was. There's got to be some mistake!"

Lee sighed and nibbled on his lip. "Sasuke-kun," He whispered. "It's all true. All of it."

There was a resounding silence between the two boys; even the forest seemed unable to come up with a reply.

"So… He just refused? Is that it?" Sasuke stepped forward, clenching his hands into fists. "This is a big joke, isn't it! You're all just trying to get back at me for leaving! Cut the bullshit, Lee! Where is he?" There was a warm sensation in his eyes. Was… Sasuke crying? "He's dead, isn't he? You're all just repeating the same story to keep your vain hopes up!" The Uchiha hesitated for a moment before jumping up and into the trees, furiously wiping away the tears forcing their way out of his eyes. This was stupid! Impossible!

_Naruto… Where in hell are you? Come back to the village. We can go for Ramen…_

He kept jumping, not even knowing where he was going. Was he outside of the village? Was he going in circles? Sasuke shook his head and ran a hand back through the navy locks. It didn't matter; he wasn't breaking any rules. How could he, really? He wasn't even a Konoha Ninja anymore.

Ninja or not, Sasuke was completely unprepared for what happened next.

-x-x-x-

"Naruto-kun? Naruto-kun?" The man crept forwards, crouched painfully low. When he found that son of a bitch he was going to…

"H-Hai Itachi-sama?" Naruto pushed the thicket aside with trembling fingers. He always trembled around Itachi. It was weird; the man was just so frightening. It was those eyes; the way he never seemed to turn the Sharingan off. How many times had he used the Mangekyou Sharingan on Naruto? It was hard to say how many.

But, in reality, it had hardened the now 18-year-old. He wasn't the bumbling idiot he had been five years ago. He didn't yell, or scream, or screw up. He had since broken his blood contract with frogs, and signed a new one with Leopards. He could form the Rasengan one-handed, his Chakra control was almost flawless, and he could summon the Kyuubi on a whim.

As far as he was concerned, everything had been a small sacrifice approaching this. He had lost everything, including his dignity, but had gained so much more. One could say that the blonde was a hypocrite, after chewing out Sasuke so vigorously and then deserting Konoha himself. You could say that he was just a confused little boy trying to make his way in the world. You could also say that he was turning into the next Sasuke; with his clouded ideals and inhuman drive to avenge.

Yes, Naruto had decided that he, too, was an Avenger. Every night, Naruto justified himself to his pillow. 'I'm only doing this so I can kill Orochimaru, and make the bastard pay for what he did to the 3rd Hokage, Konoha, Sasuke and everybody else that he had hurt. The friendships the sannin had broken up, the clans he had divided; the lives he had ruined.

Itachi grunted and moved forwards to crouch beside his student, envious of the boy's tiny and nimble frame. He wore and ANBU suit, and not the Akatsuki cloak his two 'comrades' were restricted to.

Naruto knew that Itachi had only taken him in because of the Kyuubi. He had willingly sacrificed it to him on one condition: That the Uchiha helped him to get his revenge. Perhaps that was why Itachi had devoted so much time to the vessel. He showed promise, and ha a seemingly unbreakable spirit. Oh, how enjoyable it had been to break that spirit, watch those vibrant blue eyes deteriorate into soulless pits.

"Naruto-kun." He murmured, motioning to the village before them. "You are to release the Kyuubi and completely destroy this village. Do you hear me?" Itachi tapped the cracked forehead protector Naruto now wore around his neck. "Do so, and you will receive a reward." Behind the high collar of his cloak, Itachi's lips twisted into a cruel smirk.

"Hai... Itachi-sama." Naruto's voice was, as always, toneless. Silently, he moved away from his 'Sensei' and through the forest surrounding his target. Why were they always built in small valleys overgrown with dense forests that provided ample hiding places for various enemies? He sighed unhappily as the Kyuubi's red Chakra swirled around him, his claws elongating. The boy extended his left hand out to his side, forming the Rasengan. His first 'victim' was a small house on the outskirts.

The screams were heartbreaking, earsplitting; but Naruto seemed oblivious to them all. His garnet eyes glowed in the dark of night as he sent Rasengan after Rasengan into the crumbling township. When the demon-child ran out of buildings to wreck, he simply unsheathed the thin sword t his waist and began to slay every living thing in sight. Children's cries and Mothers' pleas fell on deaf ears as Naruto continued his butchery. Few dared to oppose him; those who did earned themselves a Rasengan to the heart.

It was about 30 minutes later when Naruto was done. He knew that some people had managed to escape, and that they had gotten a good look at his face. That was fine. Itachi had told him to leave survivors, right? He always made sure he, Kisame or Naruto left at least one person to suffer in what remained of their lives. The whole point of this was for Naruto to become ands-Ranked criminal, anyways. It wouldn't take long... Konoha was the closest hidden village. He stiffened at this thought, midway through wiping a spot of blood away from his cheek. He hated to think of what their reactions to this… disgrace.

For a second, a wave of guilt crashed through the boy's body. He was forced to push it away, however, at the sound of Itachi's voice. He sounded pleased. And that was never a good thing for at least one person.

"Naruto-kun, I would have thought you'd be sympathetic with the children, at least… Given your past. How ruthless of you. I am impressed."

Behind the Uchiha, Kisame snorted loudly. "I say he let too many people get away. I counted five. Didn't we tell you that three would suffice? Konoha is only a day's walk away from here on a common trade route." The criminal shook his blue head. "You're lucky we haven't figured out how to unseal the Kyuubi and keep it under control. If, and when we do… I will personally dismember you."

Naruto didn't flinch. He was used to Kisame's empty threats. The blonde was not, however, used to having anybody, much less **Itachi**, stand up for him.

"Now, now, Kisame." Itachi's voice held something f amusement. "Five people out of a village 1,000 strong? I'd say he'd did a fair job. This **is** his first time, after all. And his innocence has clearly peeled away to reveal the monster inside of him, the very monster we seek to extract and unleash upon the world, bringing about the undeniable glory of Akatsuki. Can you not be grateful for that, at least? If we had gone after Sasuke, like you had first suggested, I also doubt that we would have such a devoted an, might I say... humble? subordinate."

Kisame was thoroughly unmoved. "Red eyes, ANBU suit, Rasengan, whisker marks on his cheeks… Konoha would know him if a **retard** took the stand."

"Still, five is only two more than the recommended number, and I didn't see you making any move to dispose of the extra escapees." Itachi raised a brow, just daring Kisame to object. There was no objection. "Well then," The Uchiha continued, almost… Cheerfully? "We'll be moving on before the local Militia catches wind of this. Naruto-kun?"

Naruto snapped out of his daze. "Wh- Oh! H-Hai, Itachi-sama!"

The older two moved on, ascending into the trees overhead. They didn't bother to look behind, or wait for Naruto to catch up; the boy had stated early on that he lived only to improve and avenge everybody that Orochimaru had wronged. Then, he would sacrifice his body to Akatsuki, and live by their standards. He had been taunted numerous time by Kisame, reminded every single day that extracting the Kyuubi would probably kill him. It didn't matter to the blonde. As long as he achieved his final goal, he would concede willingly.

-x-x-x-

"HOKAGE-SAMA! HOKAGE-SAMA! It's an emergency! Hogake-sama!"

Sakura's eyes snapped open. Startled, the girl quickly lifted her head out of her hands and made a disgruntled sort of sleepy noise. "What is it?" Her pale green gaze danced over the young blonde genin who had just exploded into her once-calm office.

The genin fought to collect himself, forcing syllables out through quick, dry gasps. "A... nameless village… to the north, it…" He had to pause to collect his breath the rest of the way. This ninja, Sakura remembered, had terrible stamina and a lung problem. She waited patiently, although not very much so, for him to go on. Finally, he was able to speak coherently. "A nameless village to the north of us…" He repeated. "Was completely destroyed, and only five survivors remain. But, Hokage-sama, the disturbing thing is that their description of the attacker… Fits Naruto perfectly."

-x-x-x-

Sasuke almost roared in frustration, what the hell was going on here!

He had returned to the village about an hour ago, after venting his pent up frustration by training in the dense surrounding forest. Upon returning, though, he had been scooped up by an ANBU team and brought into a desolate looking interrogation room. There, he had been tied up and drilled for the duration of that sixty minutes. Questions about Orochimaru. Questions about Itachi. Questions about Naruto.

Finally, he snapped. "Why the hell are you asking me all of these questions, anyways?" He boy demanded, lurching forwards as best he could. The ANBU team tensed, weapons at the ready. Finally, one stepped forward, a female by the looks of it. Her red air framed the mask like a sort of waterfall.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the former leader of our ANBU squad is the number one suspect in the destruction of a nameless village to the north of Konoha." Her tone was grave. "We are asking you these questions because of his peculiar behavior, which seemed to center around you, your desertion of Konoha, and your apparent death two years ago."

A male near the back stepped forward, the brown spike of hair on the back of his head looking oddly familiar to Sasuke. "Yume… I can take it from here. All of you. I would like a private moment with our... Prisoner."

The ANBU members filed out, but stayed close to the door. Their discontent was obvious, but they had been trained to obey their squad leader without question.

In the interrogation room, there was a moment of silence in which the two ninjas stared at each other. Finally, the ANBU member removed his mask, revealing a look far from the norm. Hurt brown eyes and an emotionless expression seemed to bear holes in Sasuke. "We all thought you were dead… Naruto included. He told me that… Itachi said he'd been keeping an eye on you, and that you'd crossed the line with Orochimaru one time too many. So, Naruto refused the mission. After that… He started to disappear from the village for a few days. He said he was training, but he came home sometimes looking like he had been dragged backwards through hell. Eventually, I asked him what had been happening." Shikamaru shrugged helplessly and sat down on the floor, cross-legged. "It seems that for the past two years, your brother Itachi has been training Naruto. His organization, Akatsuki, seeks to extract the Kyuubi from him and unleash it on the world."

Sasuke gawked in silence. "The… Kyuubi? Wait… He trained under Itachi!" The Uchiha struggled against his bonds. "That's absurd!"

Shikamaru shook his head. "I heard you saw his room."

"I… Yes, I did."

Shikamaru sighed, chuckling sadly. "Naruto was suicidal. He cut himself a lot. He never cleaned it up, and I didn't have the heart to. He made me swear to tell everybody that they were training accidents."

Sasuke sighed, staring at the ground. "He's been lied to from the start, huh? Shikamaru, let me go after him. I promise that I'll bring him back."

Shikamaru faltered, his eyes widening. "That's what he said about you." The boy gave an unconvinced snort, but stood up and untied Sasuke nonetheless. When he had one so, the boy stepped back and watched Sasuke test out his arms and such, waiting oh-so patiently.

Finally, Sasuke was ready. It was then that Shikamaru roared and pounced on him, the rope and a kunai knife in his hand. "How DARE you attack one of your own!"

**Reviewer Responses**

**Konoka** – n-n I sort of try for the confusing and ironic aspect of stories. I hope I don't end up confusing you TOO much. But, then again, you can always Email me for clarification.

**DesperateMeasures **– Eep! Well, here's your update! I hope you didn't die waiting for it. n-n;

**Coruscate – **Icky. Chatspeak? That really kills a story.

**Love Squared – **GASP! I am glad you noticed! n-n Actually, I think Sasuke IS a bit of an ignorant git at times. I hate how people always seem to make Naruto the weak, stupid one. u-u

**Loaned – **Thanks for the encouragement!

**Mistress of Muses** – Really? Arigato n-n; I was sort of worried that I didn't get everybody's personality right…

Anyways, Thanks again to everybody who reviewed. I'm sorry that this update took so long; I was just sort of stuck. Don't worry, I'll try my very hardest to make sure that updates are quicker in the future.

'Till next time, Ja!


	4. One Chance

**The Missing**

**Chapter 4 – One Chance**

**Rating: M**

_And I've Seen Love Die  
Way Too Many Times  
When It Deserved To Be Alive  
And I've Seen You Cry  
Way Too Many Times  
When You Deserved To Be Alive_

There is something about knowing that you are wanted that feeds the soul. Waking up in the morning and just being able to smile at simply imagining the face of a loved one seems to add a new spark to the day; it seems to make life really worth living. A loveless life is like a ninja without missions. Slowly, it begins to rot, become aimless and drift away from coherency. There are people who acknowledge this fact and try to make others feel wanted. They try to add this spark, this light to another's life. They paint color were there is none, replace frowns with smiles. There are also people who see the unwanted as vulnerable and easily manipulated tools.

The unwanted often posses 'Hidden Powers' that have caused society to shun them, to hide their jealousy with scorn and contempt. In the eyes of the unwanted, those who come to pull them out of their darkness are seen as God. They would do anything for this person, live life as the 'Savior' saw fit.

Sasuke supposed that this was how Naruto had felt when Itachi had offered him a new purpose in life, extended his falsely compassionate hand towards the blonde. He had offered Naruto a chance at redemption, a chance to be at peace with himself. The vessel must have thought that a chance like that would have been impossible to pass up. He figured that Naruto must have been sitting outside, staring at the same night sky that he was, reminiscing on the past. He must have been nostalgic, Sasuke decided, Nostalgic for the Haku and Zabuza days when their friendship was more of an empathetic dislike. One could always count on the other to be there, offering a carefully disguised kind word of encouragement. Sasuke had always appreciated that Naruto seemed to need him to survive, seeing as the Dobe was always getting himself into so many spots of trouble.

It had comforted him, in a way, just to know that there would be somebody who would be frowning if he didn't show up for a mission on any given day. He liked knowing that there was somebody out there whose affection spanned beyond Fan-Girly hormones and petty rivalries for his attention. When everybody had been wooing over the Uchiha, there had always been Naruto in the background, making him feel like a human instead of god. It was a soft type of harshness, one that he had missed in those five years they had been apart.

Sure, he had denied it, but Sasuke had always missed those lopsided grins, the stupid arguments over nothing more than whose shuriken had soared more gracefully. He didn't have that with anybody else. Kabuto and Orochimaru were slightly less than compassionate with him, and with each other. While he sensed that Orochimaru had gotten inside of every single one of his subordinates' pants, the Snake-Sannin never had any friends. Kabuto was probably the closest thing that the pale man had. His too-passionate loyalty had always unnerved Sasuke, they way he always followed Orochimaru around like some lost puppy. An 'Orochimaru-sama' here and a corner fuck there and you had pretty much summed up their relationship.

It was while tearing his gaze from the velvet night sky to stare at the destruction around him that Sasuke decided that he did not want to end up like Orochimaru. He knew that there was quite a bit of a task before him. Konoha needed their Hokage back; Sasuke needed his Naruto back.

Yes. Sasuke _needed his_ Naruto back.

He was surprised about how little the epiphany fazed him. Never before had his feelings for Naruto gone passed platonic. Had it been anybody else, the Uchiha would have written it off as simply hormones. But, Naruto…

Ok, Ok. Sasuke shook his head roughly and sat down on the edge of might have once been a well. He fixed his eyes on the fat full moon and scowled, willing the sudden and uninvited thoughts that had spiked into his mind away. After all, Sasuke was not a normal child. He had a lot of things to think about. In short, the boy simply could not start up a relationship with another male. He needed to find a suitable _female_ and revive his clan. There were to be no questions in that area. Even if he had to marry – Kami-sama forbid – Haruno Sakura.

Sasuke's mind had wandered to Shikamaru, and how he had most likely risked his life to free Sasuke. His plan had been brilliant. In short, after the Nara had 'Attacked and tied the traitor up' he had 'Escorted' him to the prison, distracting his crew by sending them to look for 'Spies.' And then, just on the off chance that the ever-pathetic Shikamaru wasn't paying attention… Sasuke had 'Made a quick and unsuspected jump at freedom, thus escaping the ANBU captain though shrewd use of forbidden jutsu gained from his time with Orochimaru.'

Clever, ne?

Anyways, it was while these thoughts ran akin to a river through Sasuke's mind that a glimmer caught his eye. At first, Sasuke was certain he had been seeing things, but after the glimmer had winked at him for a few moments, he knew this to be false. Furthermore, there was something about the glimmer that just seemed… out of place. Certainly nothing in a village this poor could posses such a dazzling luster? All right, then. He would investigate.

Ever cautious, the onyx-eyed boy picked his way through jagged pieces of wood and shattered glass to happen up on a rather fancy looking necklace. Almost in disbelief, Sasuke closed his pale hand around it gently. This necklace was expensive… This necklace was…

Naruto's.

Somewhere within the 'Detective's' mind, something clicked into place. He remembered this necklace! On several off chances, he had spied it hanging around the blonde's neck, but had never thought to ask whom he received it from. It was an arbitrary thing; something Sasuke had never payed more than 30 second's attention. But now he was sure of it. Had Naruto left it here for him to find? He knew that the thought was more than foolish; Naruto thought he was long dead! But, still, there was a childish hope that clung to his mind.

When facing a puzzle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery, clues are always a welcome find. And now that Sasuke had a clue, he felt tat there was no way Naruto could slip from his grasp.

He had found the necklace near the west wend of the village. Fr all he knew, Naruto could have gone east. It looked like somebody had come close to slitting his throat, but had caught his necklace instead. There was a man near Sasuke's feet, a gaping hole in his chest. He must have been the valiant 'Hero,' seeking to rid the village of this terror.

"Too bad for you." Sasuke muttered, and pocketed the necklace. He shook his bangs out of his face and sighed heavily. The necklace was no more a clue than the dirt beneath his feet. He already knew that Naruto had been here. Bitterly, he clenched a fist and looked around. If only Naruto was here… He seemed to have a penchant for tracking. But, then, Sasuke would need to track.

Did he really depend on other people that much?

The answer was no. Uchiha did not depend on others anymore. He was simply… Wishing e had the blonde's skill to make things easier. That was all.

Of course, when all of his debating was done; Sasuke still had a problem. Where was he supposed to go?

North.

It made sense, didn't it? Konoha was to the south, and if hey wanted to avoid getting caught – assuming that Naruto wasn't acting alone – then they would most certainly stay as far away as possible from any ninja strongholds. Without a moment's hesitation, Sasuke jumped into the trees, his mouth a thin line of determination. He was so close…

-x-x-x-x-

"Orochimaru-sama? T seems that Sasuke has failed to return within the week you gave him…" Kabuto pushed his glasses further up his nose, careful to keep his head bowed. The snake-Sannin had been in a rather 'Excitable' mood as of late. And the Healing Nin's ass was beginning to hurt.

Orochimaru, however, did not seem to be fazed. In the half-light, his eyes glittered with a sly malice. "Kabuto… You worry too much. Sasuke is loyal. Trust me, he will return in due time. According to my sources, Naruto-kun has destroyed a village. He's making quite a splash these days… Perhaps we should have a little chat with him…" That boyish smile cracked Orochimaru's thin lips. "I wouldn't mind having a pet fox…"

Kabuto was hesitant. "But, Orochimaru-sama… This is the Kyuubi we're talking about. And, after all, Naruto-kun's hatred for you runs deep. Who knows what tricks Akatsuki has taught him? There is also the pressing matter that he it in _Uchiha Itachi's_ clutches. We could never hope to match him."

When Orochimaru spoke again, he sounded amused. Then again, he always sounded amused. It was frustrating; one never knew when to cower in fear or fake a smile and laugh along. "You forget, Kabuto, that I am stronger than ever. You've been investigating this other Uchiha dutifully, have you not? Once I gain his body… I will be invincible. Come now, you don't expect me to run foolishly into something that poses so many dangers?"

Kabuto shook his head, gritting his teeth.

"Anyways. I find myself in the clutches of boredom once more. Kabuto-chan, shall we?" Orochimaru rose from his seat, slinking out of the room. Kabuto followed, but only because he knew Orochimaru could kill him without even trying.

"Hai, Orochimaru-sama…"

-x-x-x-x-

He had lost it.

Naruto ran fretfully through the forest, desperately trying to make Itachi's two-day deadline. Upon discovering that the necklace had been removed form his neck by one method or another, Naruto had pleaded and begged Itachi to allow him to come back and look for it. He had promised over and over again that he would most certainly return once he had found it. Finally, the elder Nin had conceded and announced that he and Kisame would stay at the camp while he went to search.

For extra speed, Naruto activated the Kyuubi's powers. He needed this necklace. It was the only real connection he had to his happier days. Besides, what if it got into the wrong hands? What if somebody put it on and it didn't accept them? Naruto shook his head and forcefully increased his speed.

The boy had 36 hours to spare when he arrived at the rubble. Though, something seemed very wrong. There was a new scent on the air, one that held a certain frustrating familiarity. It lay just under the pressing scent of ash and blood.

"S-Sasuke?" The word was on Naruto's lips before he could stop it. But the scent… It was just so defiantly him! The more Naruto sniffed at the air, the more he was certain. Perhaps he had been wrong all of these years… Perhaps Itachi had lied to him?

Shocked, Naruto brought his hands up to examine them, willing the claws away. Somehow, the necklace didn't seem so important. He had to see if it really was Sasuke. And if it was Orochimaru… He could kill him.

And so, the chase began. The scent wasn't too old… Maybe an hour or two. But whoever was giving it off was still ahead of him. He needed to act fast. Grinding his teeth, Naruto took off at a dead out run, just a gray and black flash as he ascended into the trees in pursuit of this… Enigma.

-x-x-x-x-

Sasuke suddenly stopped, drawing a kunai knife. A presence had been tugging at the back of his mind for a while now. But he was sure of it; there was somebody after him. Quickly, the ninja set up a trap. It was a rudimentary thing; he had simply littered the forest with exploding tags, carefully blocking of any and every route the victim might take to avoid the original.

Sasuke smirked as he jumped back out of the way, smugly crouching in his vantage point. A short distance away, though still out of Sasuke's sight, the first exploding tag went off. And then another, and another. Whoever was inside his 'Explosive Forest' wasn't really smart, were they? Sasuke felt sorry for the poor baka, until he remembered that this person had been tracking him, following him.

When the explosions started getting closer, Sasuke grew hesitant. They might have been setting every dammed tag off, but they didn't seem to be getting injured. He inched forwards on his branch, trying to get a look at his opponent through the thick oily smoke and orange balls of flame. Suddenly, a cry of pain rose into the air, a loud one.

A familiar one.

It took Sasuke a moment to realize just who that cry belonged to. He failed to grasp the fact that he had probably just blown up his best friend. An eerie calm seemed to come over the forest in he wake of the explosions. Sasuke's heartbeat pounded into his ears. Disbelieving, he finally jumped out of his tree and headed to where he thought the cry had come from. Surely… Surely this must be some sort of nightmare?

He could imagine the faces of his former friends at the sight of him carrying Naruto's corpse into the village. They would kill him on the spot, knowing that had had blown the poor Dobe up. But, suppose there weren't any real remains? Suppose all he had as an arm, and maybe his chest? Pushing the thoughts from his head, Sasuke raced over to a blonde body on the forest floor, tears already leaking out, betraying him.

"Dobe?" He whispered, crashing to his knees as he placed his arms under Naruto, lifting him into a sitting position and just hugging the boy to his chest. There was blood flowing from a wound in his hairline, and more blood pouring out of his mouth. "Listen, Dobe. Wake up. I'm here to take you back to Konoha. Everybody there misses you, you know…" He ran a hand through Naruto's hair, willing his eyes to open. "Come on…" His voice cracked. "Naruto… Please. Gomen-Nasai. Open your eyes…"

The resounding silence choked the Uchiha as he shuffled closer to the disturbingly still figure of his friend. Naruto had matured, he noted. While the Nin had defiantly grown up, his features were still innocent. The whisker marks still marred his cheeks, an almost medicinal reminder that this was Naruto. He was slimmer, too. And more muscle tone adorned his once average body. Sasuke would have liked to sit down with the boy, chat with him about the happenings of the past few years. But now he couldn't.

Sasuke had ruined that chance.

-x-x-x-x-

The scent was overwhelming. Lost in a world of his own, Naruto inhaled deeply. He could smell Sasuke all over, and he felt warm despite the pain in his chest, back and head. He could hear a muffled voice in the distance, calling out to him. But it remained ignored; this dream world was too nice to pass up.

Very suddenly though, a furry object wrapped around him, bringing his cerulean eyes to meet a pair of garnet ones. A feral growl erupted from the snout beneath those eyes, a growl that Naruto could feel rattling his core. It was clear what the Kyuubi wanted. But, frankly, Naruto just wasn't in the mood.

The growl faded, and Naruto gave a little smile.

"I'll see you in hell, Stupid fox."

**Reviewer Responses**

**Loaned **– All for the plot, M'dear. –Wink- But, trust me. I felt Guilty.

**Kori Hime **– Arigato n.n;

**Love Squared **– 'Taws all part of Shika-chan's plot. (Insert Cackle here) I hope it was cleared up for you. And, I guess he was sort of betraying Sasuke by going along with Itachi, but like I said in the beginning of the chapter; Naruto felt wanted by him. The whole Wanted/Unwanted deal seems to be a central point in many of the subplots in Naruto. I sort of wanted to stick to that.

Well, this has been my longest chapter so far. And I'm oddly proud of it. But, tell me, was the beginning a bit too slow? Is the story too slow? Or am I moving too fast? n.n I welcome critique.


	5. Arigato

**The Missing**

**Chapter 5 – Arigato**

**Rating: M**

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along_

Waking up in a place that is most certainly not where you fell asleep is an extraordinarily confusing ordeal. For Naruto, who believed that he had perished, this ordeal was inconceivable. At first, the blonde ANBU captain thought that he was in a forest-like afterlife. Albeit, a rather destroyed one. The scent of blood and Sasuke was heavy on the breeze that blew through his hair, cooling him. He was faintly aware of gelid hands placing a cool scrap of cloth to his forehead. He would have objected as the tattered remains of his shirt was peeled away to allow bandages to be put in its place had he not been so totally after it.

What had happened? The last thing the boy remembered was a roaring in his ears, mind-blowing pain… And then nothing. Scattered voice came back to him, muffled as though spoken through a thick blanket. He grunted softly, almost feeling the waved of relief that washed over his companion. Who was it, anyways?

Hesitation. And then, Naruto slowly cracked an eye open, parting his lips to let out a happy sort of 'Hello Sound.' It was Sasuke who'd been nursing him. In his present state, Naruto failed to realized just how big that simple fact was. He was blissfully unaware of the particulars.

"Naruto…" Somebody was whispering to him. Something cool and wet fell onto his face. It took the boy on the receiving end of these tears a moment to figure out that his head was in Sasuke's lap. And the Uchiha was crying.

"Oi… Sasuke." Unsteadily, Naruto reached up t wipe the tears away from Sasuke's pale cheek with his thumb. "Stop being such a crybaby." He smirked as best he could, the hand falling back down to rest on his stomach. He watched as Sasuke, looking ever so disgruntled, quickly regained his composure and slithered out from under the blonde's head, stretching languidly as he stood.

"Five years and that's your greeting?"

"As I remember, your greeting was an exploding forest."

"Your fault. You're the ANBU captain. You should know better."

"I see you haven't changed."

"Same goes for you."

A tense silence hung in the air for a while, choking out any terse comment or harsh comeback. The pair stayed like that for a long time, glaring tired daggers into the other's eyes. There were screams bubbling under the surface of their even breaths. They wanted to yell at each other, highlight simple and huge mistakes. They wanted to do everything that seemed impossible in those silent moments. Finally, it was Sasuke who spoke.

"Shikamaru told me that you have been training under Itachi. Is it true?"

Naruto turned away, heaving a sigh. "Hai." He whispered guiltily. "I was trying to gain power so that I might avenge you. I suppose the deal that I made with your brother was foolish and very one-sided. But I didn't care. I didn't see any real reason for my existence. Had you been alive, I defiantly would have refused his offer. I made a lot of sacrifices to get where I am. Too many, I guess. Looking back on all that I've done… I feel like a total idiot. At the time it seemed like the right thing – the only thing – to do."

Sasuke went and sat down next to Naruto, helping him into a sitting position. He didn't object as the boy leaned his head on his shoulder. It felt sort of nice having Naruto there, especially after they had been apart for so long.

"Naruto… What are you trying to tell me?" There was a subliminal message hidden in his words, Sasuke was sure of it.

There was no answer. It seemed that Naruto had dozed off. Sighing, Sasuke eased the boy back down onto the ground and shuffled around camp to look for a blanket. After making sure the fire was contained, the Uchiha spread the blanket over his friend, found another one and willed himself asleep.

It continued on like this for another few days. Sasuke was certain that Naruto was trying to tell him something. He had decided that it had something to do with the Kyuubi. Was Naruto connected to it in some way? The villagers had always seemed to despise Naruto. His family – Uzumaki – did not seem out of the ordinary. But perhaps there was some underlying association with the Nine-Tails. The more the Uchiha thought of this, the more it seemed sensible.

First off, there was Naruto's unbelievable stamina and Chakra capacity.

Then there were the curious powers he had seen in the Chuunin exams and in the Valley Of End.

Third, Naruto's wound healed overnight. No ninja was that good. And Sasuke knew that Naruto had zero experience with healing techniques.

There were also the marks on his body that needed to be taken into account. The seal on his stomach. The whisker marks on his cheeks.

He had also said that Gaara was the same as him. What was the connection?

It was a while before Sasuke worked up the courage to confront Naruto with these facts. They were watching the campfire after sunset, Naruto fooling around with the remains of cup Ramen and Sasuke lost in the crackling depths. They seemed not to notice that nobody had come for them. It didn't disturb them that they had been forgotten. Clearing his throat, Sasuke tore himself away from the fire and stared at his companion.

"Naruto. When I was in Konoha… Shikamaru told me that Akatsuki – the criminal organization that Itachi belongs to – sought to extract the Kyuubi from you. And… I've been thinking…" He trailed off.

"Go on…" Naruto stayed focused on his Ramen, as if he knew what was coming.

"I was wondering… What is your relation o the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox that attacked Konoha 18 years ago?"

Naruto snorted rudely, and let the container fall out of his hands. He stared up at the stars for a long time before answering, as if attempting to build up the suspension.

"Simple. He's sealed inside of me. Wanna say hi?"

"You're kidding me…"

"Nope. The Red Chakra is his. When my eyes go red, he's coming out. My wounds heal overnight because of him. My stamina, huge Chakra capacity… All the Kyuubi." He sighed sadly, eyes tracing the curves of the night sky. "When I was little, I hated everybody in the village. They shunned me, told their kids to stay away from me. I was an unwelcome fly on the windshield of their lives. And I never knew why. When Mizuki came along and told me that the Kyuubi was inside of me… I felt so lost. I felt like I was a monster. I finally knew why everybody hated me, but I only felt worse. They day Haku almost killed you… He came out. That was the first time I tried to avenge you. I almost did. But my heart was too weak to kill him. From what I can gather, the Fourth Hokage wished for me to be seen as a hero. Sadly, that was not the case. I was rejected, cast away, hated. All because of something I could never hoped take the blame for. I can help the fact that the Kyuubi is inside of me like you can help the fact that you were born male."

Through this, Sasuke stayed silent. His jaw remained slightly agape; his lips moved incoherently. There were no real words to say to what Naruto had just told him. He sat there, jaw hanging open like some idiot until Naruto finally broke the shocked silence.

"You haven't felt true loneliness, Sasuke. When your clan was murdered… You still ad people all around who wished to cheer you up. People who cared. You felt alone, but somebody always asked what was wrong. It was different for me. People were happy when I was miserable. In their eyes, I was the Kyuubi. That is why I sought the position of Hokage so desperately. I wanted them to acknowledge me, my strength. I don't know what I'm trying to say to you Sasuke. I guess I just want you to remember that it could always be worse. I wouldn't wish true loneliness on anybody. It's hell on earth. A deeper hell than you went through. Day in, day out. Being unwanted by everybody is a terrible thing. I was lucky; I found people who really, truly care about me."

Naruto sort of smiled and snuggled deeper into the blanket. He had decided to get Sasuke to go into town with him tomorrow or the next day so that he could buy new clothes. Slowly, the ninja removed the forehead protector from around his neck and set it down on the ground beside him, scooting backwards to rest his back against a nearby tree. He seemed at peace despite his most recent confession. Slowly, Sasuke moved to sit beside Naruto, worming under the blanket and laying his head in the crook if the boy's shoulder.

"If Akatsuki extracts the Kyuubi… Won't they unleash it on the world?"

"Hai…"

"And you still went through with the deal, even knowing what would happen? How do you know that extracting the Kyuubi wouldn't kill you?"

Naruto shrugged dispassionately.

"You did this all for me, Naruto?"

Silence, and then…

"Did you honestly expect me to let Orochimaru get away with stealing my best friend's body? Besides, somebody has to stop the man. And Itachi's too lazy to get off of his ass and do it. But, yeah. I guess that in the end it all came down to my desire to avenge you. I kind of feel stupid now, knowing that you're alive and all…"

"Naruto…?"

"Yeah?"

"Arigato."

-x-x-x-x-

"It's been four days." Kisame smirked smugly, though kept his distance. Itachi had been in a rather foul mood since Naruto's departure. Though, he hadn't yet made any move to pursue the boy. Kisame could only imagine why.

"He'll be back." Despite his mood, Itachi sounded almost pleasantly calm. "That much we can be sure of." He pulled hs straw hat further down on his head and sighed. One such as Itachi always made sure that he had the upper hand in deals like this. There was no way for Naruto to get out of their little deal without first killing himself or the Uchiha. Itachi highly doubted either of these things would happen. And so, he carried on with the same confident air about him as always.

"Err… Itachi-san?" Kisame tipped his blue head to the side, ever wary of his partner.

"Mmmhmm?"

"Naruto… Well, how can you be so sure that he won't try and escape you?"

Itachi chuckled and stopped, as though lost in his own greatness. "As you know… I have used Naruto-kun for my own personal gain on numerous occasions. It was a simple matter to utilize the Mangekyou Sharingan to link or minds in such a way that I could contact the Kyuubi and strike a deal with _him_. Naruto-kun is just a pawn in a greater plan. If we cannot fully extract the Kyuubi, then we will remove Naruto-kun's soul and hand full control of the body over to the Kyuubi. The seal that restricts the Kyuubi has already weakened considerably since he was first locked away. One more life-or-death situation and taking control will be easy."

"So… What you're saying is that the little shit isn't even important?"

"His body is."

Silence hung in the air as Itachi continued walking. "The Kyuubi wants to be free. He will not let Naruto escape me so easily. The fox has been sending me thoughts through the link I established. It seems that he's met up with my dear little brother. This could work out perfectly."

The thought of this chilled even Kisame to the bone. He honestly couldn't imagine being used in such a blatant way. It was disturbing, really. How one could take a child like Naruto and twist everything so that they looked like Kami-sama. Kisame had never been one for feeling. But, really. He had to wonder what state of mind Itachi kept if he was so willing to torment his subordinate so.

"Hai, Itachi-san. Your plan is brilliant, as always."

-x-x-x-x-

The breeze that sauntered through Konoha spoke nothing of the carnage going on below the streets. In an underground room, dimply lit by old incandescent bulbs; a young ANBU captain was facing his fate. Though respected, he knew that the hidden village of the leaves could not condone such a crime. Nara Shikamaru had let a prisoner go free. Although he ha tried to convince his team mates and even Sakura that he had only done it hopes of bringing Naruto home, there were regulations to follow, rules that were to be heeded. He eyed the hypodermic needle in the medical Nin's hand calmly.

The audience to his death was small. The Hokage, her bodyguards, what remained of his team and his father. He didn't blame any of them for this. He smirked knowingly as the needle was inserted into his skin, feeling a welcome blackness take hold of his senses.

**Reviewer Responses**

**Sakura Mikazuki – **Well, I don't know if Naruto will be 'Evil,' but I defiantly hope to have some bloodshed cause by our ickle blonde. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and I hope that you continue reading n.n.

**Shadow Kitsune67 **– Arigato. n.n Here ti is. Hope you enjoyed it.

**FireieGurl – **Truthfully, I'm glad as well. Didn't have the heart to keep them apart any longer.

**Kori Hime **– As always, don't be afraid to E-mail me with any questions about the story n.n

**Just A Rambling Romantic **– Hee Hee. I was sort of looking for a way to punish Kabuto. I found it with having smelly old men rape him. n.n

**DesperateMeasures **– Arigato! I think my head is two sizes bigger! n.n

**Loaned ** - I'm going to assume that your review got lost in the mail. –hug-

**Love Squared **– Heh. I'm glad that you understand. n.n And, Sasuke didn't receive a punishment because Shika-chan helped him escape… But I suppose I should have added something in the way of reprimand… Thanks for the advice!

**Matt and T.K. **– Yeah, everybody seems to downplay Sakura, so I thought I'd out her right at the top! And, yes, I do plan on having some sultry boy on boy in this story. Do not fear, though! All warnings will be applied.


	6. Yume

**The Missing **

**Chapter 6** **– Yume**

**Rating: M**

_It's more than a habit  
I'm more than an addict  
I'm parked here outside of your door  
Know you never lock it  
Got you keys in my pocket  
Lights all out  
But I know for sure I am ... _

Ten steps away from you  
From you and him  
Redemption, is that a sin?

In the past few months, Orochimaru had indeed been observing the trials and conquests of one Uchiha Takaya. He knew that the man was indeed Mangekyou capable, and could even possibly rival Itachi in strength. In the past, this might had deterred the Snake-Sannin. But he had been working on his goal to learn every single jutsu, and had been gaining power. Had either Jiraiya or Tsunade been alive, they would have had a snowball's chance in hell at defeating him. The man was more powerful than ever, and gaining strength every day. The Village of Sound, and even the Rice Country lived in fear of him. It was true that both were rich, powerful and nearly invincible thanks to Orochimaru, but the lives of simple citizens were beyond hell.

At that point in time, the man was taking a leisurely walk in the countryside. Or, so it seemed. Kabuto was there as well, acting as cool as a man who could barely walk could possibly ever hope to. His nonchalance was slightly edged with a disgruntled anger towards Orochimaru, but he didn't dare to voice it. Those who voiced their objections against the main didn't usually last for very long.

They were walking to a hotel town not far from the Hidden Village of Sound. Word had gotten out that an Uchiha was staying here. The credibility of these rumors had yet to be tested, but Orochimaru had decided to check on such a pressing matter personally. And so, he had dragged his little silver-haired friend out to the town and had begun scouring the place, checking every room and every dusty little corner. He had started out the day in his regular boyish good mood, but it had waned until he was positively truculent. A lot of people lay dead in the streets by the time he was done, and Takaya had yet to be found. Perhaps he had caught wind of Orochimaru? It was originally intended that his missing be confidential, but there were always those who saw it fit to leak information.

"It seems that we've been ratter out." He said, curling his upper lip. Kabuto cringed, his emotionless mask faltering under his master's anger. He could have sworn that Chakra had begun to swirl around him for a second, but then it passed. "No matter. I do believe it's time that we checked on Sasuke-kun, don't you?"

His proposition was met with silence, as if Kabuto had a say in the matter anyways.

-x-x-x-x-

"_SASUKE! Sasuke! You can't die yet!" Naruto ran to his friend, tears already in his eyes. It was then that a blunt object collided with is stomach, forcing the breath out of him as he crashed through the ground. They had come so far… Done so much… And now… He gritted his teeth against the pain, and roared, clenching his fists. "I will… I will never forgive you!" The Kyuubi's Chakra blazed around him. But, it seemed too little too late. There was more pain in his stomach, and a burning sensation went through his body. Slowly, the Kyuubi receded and Naruto's mind went blank._

_Hours later it seemed, he awoke to the sensation of air rushing by his face. He could feel himself going up and down, whizzing through the forest. His whole body ached. But something told him that he couldn't give up… Something told him that he was in danger._

"_Ah… Naruto-kun. I see that you've come around. Isn't it a shame that we will have to put you back to sleep?" Naruto knew that voice. That smooth, suave and sexy voice. _

"_Ka-Kabuto. You stinkin' R-rat. P-Put me…" He had to pause here to cough up blood as he struggled weakly, feeling his strength flee him. "Down."_

"_Ah, but I'm afraid I can't do that."_

_A hand ran back through Naruto's blood encrusted hair. Suddenly, the world seemed even hazier. A soft sleep gripped his mind, however valiantly he fought it. No! He couldn't sleep! Not now! Sasuke was in danger! He could be dead! But… Sleep seemed so inviting. And so, Naruto surrendered._

_Again the blonde awoke to a rather uninviting scene. Orochimaru's scent intoxicated him, choked him. Naruto's hands had been chained over his head, is feet barely reaching the ground. His bandages, drenched in sweat and blood, barely managed to cling to his shaking body. He took a cautious breath, attempting to lift himself up o that he might get a better look at his bonds. That failed. It seemed that he was just too drained. Also, gauze had been placed over his eyes. He couldn't see at all._

_What was this hell? Naruto lifted his head, grunting softly. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to Sasuke .He wanted…_

"_Naruto-kun?"_

"_Wh-what? Who… there? Who's there?" His voice was hoarse and dry, spilling over his parched lips in husky intervals. How long had he been hanging there?_

"_Nobody, just me." There was a warm sensation on hi cheek. Somebody… Somebody was touching him! Naruto growled and turned his face. Without thinking, he closed is teeth around the flesh of the person's hand. Although, he quickly regretted it as a slap was driven hard across his face, causing him to cry out. There was another and another. He could feel his nose bleeding now. "Do you honestly think that you can defy me! Tell, me, Naruto-kun, to you think that you – of all people- are in a position to rebel! TELL ME!" Slap after slap after slap met with his skin. _

"_E-enough! Stop! Please! Please stop!" He whimpered, pulling away as best he could. Thankfully, the slapping stopped. Naruto willed himself to stop crying; the tears stung his burning face._

"_Gomen-nasai, Naruto-kun." The other person chuckled lightly. By then, Naruto knew who it was. He was still shocked when Orochimaru removed the bandages. He tried even harder to get away, struggling the hardest he had so far. _

"_Let me you, you bastard. Let me- Let me go back to Sasuke!"_

_Orochimaru giggled and tossed the gauze aside, trailing ha hand on Naruto as he walked around the blonde. He smirked, putting his face close so that Naruto could smell his breath as it tickled his skin. It smelled like rice balls. "Push Sasuke-kun from your thoughts for now. Soon, he'll be the least of your worries. Besides, he is already long dead. The body you see now…" Orochimaru's smirk widened as he stepped closer to the beaten Naruto. "I stole it from Sasuke…"_

"_No… NO!" Naruto brought one of his knees up, slamming it into Orochimaru's groin. It was a burst of strength that surprised even Naruto. He quickly turned his energies to getting away, though, as Orochimaru glowered at him. No more punishment came, though. The Snake-sannin simply bushed himself off and patted Naruto's burning cheek._

"_We shall see, Naruto-kun. We shall see…" He giggled again and left the room, leaving Naruto to himself. As the door slid shut behind the Ebony-haired man, Naruto could only feel a sense of foreboding. He sighed unhappily, blood still pouring from his nose. Hs muscles twitched and quivered, protesting the length of time that the blonde had been strung up._

_From then on, people came and went. In the next few das, Naruto only remembered eating one meal. A slice of bread. He spent his days either hanging from the ceiling, or lying on a smelly old blanket. The seal that Orochimaru had placed on his stomach must have been pretty tough. None of Naruto's wounds had healed on the first night. _

_Time passed slowly for Naruto, but he eventually started getting better. He was soon able to piece together what had happened on they day he had been brought to Orochimaru's castle… _

_He had awoken as usual, with Sasuke sleeping beside him. The campfire had burned low, and so Naruto snuggled deeper into the blanket. He still hadn't been able to convince the Uchiha that he needed new clothes. But it was ok, as long as he wasn't alone; Naruto could deal with the chilly nights. _

_On that day, their breakfasts had been cup Ramen. The last of Naruto's hoard. Over a lengthy argument, Sasuke had been able to convince Naruto that staying in the wilderness was better for the both of them. They needed to wait until things finally cooled down, he said. _

_The friends had been washing their utensils in the nearby river when Kabuto and Orochimaru had attacked. It seemed that both had been practicing their techniques hard, for neither Sasuke nor Naruto were able to fight for very long. Even with the aid of the Kyuubi, Orochimaru proved to be just too powerful. Naruto could remember every detail as Sasuke fell, his front literally covered with kunai. The blonde had run to him, only to be thwarted. And then he had been brought here._

_Naruto couldn't recall much more than the gist of what had gone on. It was like his mind refused to let him remember the finer details. Details that could have give him hope, or an answer. _

_He rolled over on his moldy blanket, trailing a finger along a patch of the gray fuzz. After a moment, he lifted himself to his feet and placed a palm on the nondescript door that closed his room off from the rest of the mansion. A shaft of moonlight was the only thing that allowed him to see in the otherwise complete darkness. Untold horrors lurked here._

_Naruto staggered over to his corner, drawing his knees up to his chest and hugging them tightly. Was this how Sasuke had been treated when he had stayed with Orochimaru? Was he beaten daily because his wounds wouldn't heal faster? Tears streamed down Naruto's cheeks and he shut his eyes tightly, angered by his own weakness. Orochimaru had said numerous times hat he would come for Naruto tonight, give him a 'Special Surprise.' _

_Somehow, Naruto wasn't looking forwards to it._

_Orochimaru came about an hour later, an unnatural glitter in his eyes. Wordlessly, He pulled Naruto's knees away from his chest and pinned them down with is own. Before Naruto could know what was happening or even react, a warm mouth had been pressed to his own._

_The first thought that ran through Naruto's mind was that a 55-year-old man was raping him. The next was that a rather long tongue was being pushed down his throat. Automatic reaction caused Naruto to bite down on the offending tongue, hard. Immediately after, he winced and recoiled, fearing punishment. But nothing came. It seemed that his bite hadn't even affected the Sannin._

_When Naruto reflected in this 'Incident' later in life, he would never be able to recall much. A searing pit of shame was all that remained in his memories. The pain that he was left with afterwards was what he really remembered. The pain, and the hate. Oh, sure. Itachi had raped him before. But, this was a thousand times worse._

_At least the age difference between him and Itachi had been below twenty years. _

_In any case, the boy was left huddled in the corner of his room, naked. _

-x-x-x-x-

Naruto awoke with a start, sitting up quickly. A cry escaped him as he did so, the after affects of his nightmare still taking a toll on him. He pulled his knees up to his chest, shivering violently in the dark. It disturbed him just how _real_ the dream had felt. The blonde shook his head, pulling his blanket up to wrap it tighter around himself. Never mind that. Orochimaru would never dare to take him away from Itachi.

Sighing, Naruto laid back down, surprised at just how cold he was. The boy frowned, tossing the blanket aside, revealing his bruised and battered flesh.

Naruto was naked.

He blinked in surprise, quickly getting up onto his knees. He was inside as well. Well his was cause for worry. The boy stood up and looked around, clenching his fists. His body protested wildly, but he was far too concerned with his latest realization to care.

It hadn't been just a nightmare.

**Author's Note**

WOW. That took **much** longer than I had originally intended. Truthfully, there is no real excuse for my lack of updating lately. I've been slacking off, and I'm sorry for that. u.u Anyways, I'll try and get at least one chapter out per week in the future! And, sorry… No Reviewer responses this chapter.


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